Search Results (23)

The digital transformation has revolutionized document management, making Digital Transaction Management (DTM) systems essential for enhancing efficiency, security, and regulatory compliance in a wide range of organizations. This paper investigates the challenges, innovations, and state-of-the-art solutions in DTM platforms, with a focus on their integration with emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) and blockchain. In particular, the work introduces a reference architecture for next-generation DTM platforms, emphasizing blockchain-based security, smart-contract-based automation, and semantics-enhanced document retrieval and analysis. A case study in the utilities sector illustrates the benefits of the envisioned proposal, showcasing its suitability for managing complex, high-volume workflows. This research provides a foundation for future developments in resilient and interconnected DTM solutions, addressing the evolving demands of modern organizations within the broader digital ecosystem. Full article

The digital transformation of agrifood systems demands an integrated infrastructure to ensure traceability, trust, and intelligent decision-making across complex and heterogeneous value chains. METROFOOD-IT, a large-scale national research infrastructure in food metrology aligned with the ESFRI METROFOOD-RI, addresses these challenges by combining advanced experimental facilities with a comprehensive digital ecosystem. This paper focuses on the IT kernel of METROFOOD-IT and presents an integrated architectural model that brings together four key technological paradigms: data acquisition through Internet of Things (IoT) and laboratory infrastructures, an Open Data Platform for interoperability and sharing, blockchain-based notarization for integrity and provenance, and Artificial Intelligence (AI) for knowledge extraction and decision support. Rather than describing these components in isolation, the paper abstracts from their implementation within the Italian National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP) project METROFOOD-IT to distill a coherent and reusable architectural pattern in which data management, trust enforcement, and intelligent analytics are tightly coupled. Five explicit design principles are identified and articulated: federated data with centralized metadata, selective on-chain anchoring, user-unobtrusive trust infrastructure, explainability as a first-class architectural concern, and machine learning as the backbone of decision-making. Two empirical case studies—one centered on explainable AI for hyperspectral crop nitrogen assessment and the other on IoT-driven sustainable agriculture monitoring secured by distributed ledger technology—serve a dual role: they motivate and shape the architectural pattern, and they exemplify the operational regimes the resulting design supports. A reference deployment on the Ethereum Sepolia public test network, grounded on an IBM Power E1050 and IBM Storage Scale enterprise substrate, provides quantitative evidence for the proposed hybrid on-chain/off-chain pattern with streaming hash-only notarization. The architecture illustrates how research infrastructures can evolve into integrated digital platforms that enable transparent, verifiable, and scalable agrifood systems, and offers a foundation for generalizable design principles in data-intensive and trust-sensitive settings. Full article

Smart contracts raise persistent challenges regarding compliance with traditional contract formalities, including writing, signature, notarization, and in certain transactions, registration. These issues are particularly significant in high-value and public-facing transactions such as real estate, where formalities determine legal validity, evidentiary sufficiency and publicity effects. While existing scholarly work has examined these challenges from either doctrinal or technological perspectives, limited attention has been given to how the functional roles of formalities interact with blockchain architecture, practitioner perceptions and institutional legal frameworks. This study addresses this gap through a mixed-methods approach combining doctrinal legal analysis with qualitative socio-legal research based on 27 semi-structured interviews with legal professionals including attorneys, judges, and academic scholars. The analysis is grounded in a civil law framework, with particular reference to the Jordanian legal system, while references to the European Union’s eIDAS Regulation are used illustratively to demonstrate regulatory approaches to digital authentication. The findings demonstrate that blockchain-based systems can effectively support the evidentiary and attribution functions of contractual formalities through cryptographic verification, consensus mechanisms, and automated execution. However, they do not independently satisfy formalities that perform cautionary, constitutive, protective or public order function, namely notarization and registration, which remain dependent on institutional validation and legal recognition. The analysis further shows that practitioner concerns reflect not only doctrinal constraints but also institutional roles and varying levels of technical familiarity. To address these limitations, the study proposes a function-based analytical framework for evaluating smart contract formalities and identifies two complementary pathways for legal adaptation: (i) institutional integration, including registry-linkage systems and hybrid contracts; and (ii) technological adaptation, including digital authentication frameworks and legal oracles that connect on-chain execution to off-chain legal conditions. The study concludes that smart contract formalities’ challenges arise not solely from technological limitations, but from the interaction between legal doctrine, institutional structures, and system design. It advances a functional framework for aligning automation with the evidentiary, protective, and publicity functions of contractual formalities. Full article

The proliferation of digital assets has catalyzed a profound decoupling between intangible property and traditional inheritance jurisprudence. Under the existing legal framework in Taiwan, practitioners must rely on the testamentary forms prescribed in Article 1189 of the Civil Code, which are fundamentally ill equipped to handle cryptographic assets. Specifically, Notarized Wills (Article 1191) necessitate full disclosure to a notary, creating a “Privacy–Security Paradox” where revealing private keys exposes assets to misappropriation. Conversely, while Sealed Wills (Article 1192) offer confidentiality, they are plagued by risks of physical degradation and technical non-executability. This study proposes zkWill, an EVM-compatible decentralized testamentary framework designed to bridge these structural gaps. By leveraging Zero-Knowledge Proofs (ZKPs), zkWill achieves a state of “blind compliance,” verifying that a sealed will meets the statutory requirements of the Civil Code without disclosing its underlying content. The system integrates the Permit2 protocol for secure asset migration and combines AES-256 encryption with IPFS to immunize testaments against centralized storage failures. Unlike conventional services that demand custodial trust, zkWill employs decentralized oracles to trigger automated execution, ensuring legacy distribution without compromising wallet private keys. Empirical data from the Arbitrum Sepolia testnet confirms that the framework maintains constant verification efficiency and a judicially resilient audit trail, providing a paradigm that harmonizes legal pragmatism with cryptographic security for digital inheritance. Full article

The present article examines the pioneering case of blockchain adoption in local government by the City of Lugano and discusses how Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) may support institutional innovation beyond pilot experimentation. The Swiss municipality of Lugano has developed an integrated strategy that combines permissioned blockchain infrastructure (SwissLedger), a municipal payment token (LVGA), digital literacy and payment innovation initiatives (Plan ₿), and the issuance of fully digital municipal bonds. By adopting a case study methodology, the analysis draws on quantitative indicators of platform usage, operational data, and a sentiment analysis of media coverage to document technological developments and socio-economic patterns correlated with the initiative. SwissLedger has been adopted as an infrastructural experiment for secure document notarization, public administration digital services, open-finance interoperability with optional compliance tools, and sector-specific applications. Furthermore, the Plan ₿ initiative emerges as a communication catalyst, generating international visibility and positive sentiment, alongside descriptive statistics consistent with local economic activity. Lugano’s digital bond issuances also attracted attention to the potential of how DLT could support settlement processes and transparency in public finance. Overall, the evidence gathered suggests that DLT adoption in local government is not merely a technological upgrade, but rather part of a broader organizational transformation process. The case findings also outline a set of potentially transferable elements for municipalities seeking to align innovation with public value creation. Full article

Near misses—clinical events that could have resulted in patient harm but did not—are increasingly recognized as critical yet underutilized sources of insight in surgical quality improvement. In thoracic surgery, where procedures are physiologically demanding and care pathways are highly interdependent, near misses frequently precede major complications and expose latent system vulnerabilities rather than isolated technical errors. A structured narrative review methodology was employed, including a targeted literature search of major biomedical databases and thematic synthesis of relevant studies. This narrative review synthesizes evidence from patient safety science, surgical quality literature, and thoracic surgery—specific outcomes research to examine how near misses can be systematically leveraged to improve care. We discuss the transition from individual-centered explanations of adverse events to system-based models that emphasize human factors, communication, escalation pathways, and organizational culture. Particular attention is given to contemporary quality frameworks such as failure to rescue and textbook outcome, which highlight the importance of early recognition, coordinated response, and recovery from complications rather than complication avoidance alone. We further explore the central role of psychological safety and leadership behaviors in enabling meaningful learning from near misses. By reframing near misses as actionable data rather than anecdotal “close calls,” quality improvement emerges as a core professional responsibility in thoracic surgery. We conclude that excellence in thoracic surgery should be defined not by the absence of complications, but by the capacity of surgical systems to learn, adapt, and prevent future harm. Full article

The rapid advancement of social media and the exponential increase in online information have made open-source intelligence an essential component of modern criminal investigations. However, existing digital forensics standards mainly focus on evidence derived from controlled devices such as computers and mobile storage, providing limited guidance for social media–based intelligence. Evidence captured from online platforms is often volatile, editable, and difficult to verify, which raises doubts about its authenticity and admissibility in court. To address these challenges, this study proposes a systematic and legally compliant open-source intelligence framework aligned with digital forensics principles. The framework comprises five stages: identification, acquisition, authentication, preservation, and validation. By integrating blockchain-based notarization and image verification mechanisms into existing forensic workflows, the proposed system ensures data integrity, traceability, and authenticity. The implemented prototype demonstrates the feasibility of conducting reliable and legally compliant open-source intelligence investigations, providing law enforcement agencies with a standardized operational guideline for social media–based evidence collection. Full article

Background/Objectives: This study explores the potential of the inducible G protein-coupled kinin B1 receptor (B1R) as a target for the diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancer (PCa) and aims to develop the first theranostic agent targeting hB1R for both molecular imaging and radionuclide therapy. Methods: B1R expression was analyzed via qPCR and immunohistochemistry in human PCa cells and tissues specimens. A novel ⁶⁴Cu/NOTA-conjugated peptide analog of the potent B1R antagonist R954 was synthetized and evaluated in vitro and in vivo. Results: B1R was confirmed to be expressed (RNA, protein) by varying degrees in all PCa cell lines and tissues investigated, with protein level significantly correlating with tumor grades. This finding was supported by similar analyses from the TCGA and MSKCC databases. In vitro, the ⁶⁴Cu/NOTA-βAla-R954 conjugate showed nanomolar affinity/potency at hB1R, complete plasma stability over 24 h, significant cellular uptake (up to 33% of ID at 24 h), and dose-dependent anti-clonal growth effects. In vivo, the radioconjugate remained stable in circulation for up to 90 min and was primarily excreted intact via the kidneys following IV administration. Intravenous ⁶⁴Cu/NOTA-βAla-R954 (7.5 MBq) effectively detected subcutaneous PCa xenografts via µPET imaging in male athymic nude mice. At a single higher dose (65 MBq; 50 µg/kg), it significantly reduced tumor growth without observable toxicity. This antitumor effect was associated with increased apoptosis (active caspase-3) and reduced proliferation (Ki67), as shown by immunohistochemistry. In contrast, the nonradioactive ^NatCu/NOTA-βAla-R954 had no therapeutic effect at the same dose. Conclusions: Our findings provide proof-of-concept for the potential theranostic use of ⁶⁴Cu/NOTA-R954 in PCa, and potentially other types of B1R-positive solid cancers. Full article

For years, combining the immutability associated with blockchain technology with the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) has been considered a practically unsolvable conflict due to the very nature of blockchain and the GDPR. This article presents the GAVIN project (GDPR-Compliant Blockchain-Based Architecture for Universal Learning, Education and Training Information Management), a pioneering initiative that overcomes this challenge through an innovative technical and legal approach to trusted digital academic certification. Developed by atlanTTic (University of Vigo) and funded by the European Union, GAVIN proposes a scalable architecture that combines off-chain storage, encrypted Hash-Based Message Authentication Code (HMAC) anonymization, access notarization, and blockchain-based access control. The legal validation of the working prototype under development demonstrates that blockchain decentralization is compatible with GDPR compliance. The model is presented as a replicable reference for institutions wishing to leverage distributed ledger technologies without compromising personal data protection. This paper details the legal design, technical architecture, and compliance mechanisms, offering a practical framework for implementing decentralized systems with privacy by design. Full article

The digitization that is impacting the construction sector still encounters areas where it is hindered. Safety is one of them—in Italy, even health and safety plans have to be digitally modeled. In this article, a methodology is presented for the digitization of health and safety plans and their visualization on-site using augmented reality and a seamless system for indoor–outdoor localization. Safety requirements for equipment are modeled as customized property within BIM models. Then, the interoperable-format IFC is used to upload the model in a BIM platform. On-site outdoor localization is ensured by a GPS-RTK system, while for indoor spaces, an artificial intelligence algorithm that recognizes features is used. In this research, an application that supports a seamless outdoor–indoor transition is proposed, with the display of inspection information through augmented reality and a blockchain notarization of images taken on-site and aligned with BIM models. The results of indoor and outdoor alignment are presented below. The experiment regarding augmented reality information display and the photo notarization procedure are also reported. This methodology improves the site inspection process by supporting the traceability of operations. Full article

This article presents a model built for deep digitalization in the construction industry and for making building information modeling achieve a greater level of transparency, verifiability and effectiveness for the benefit of all stakeholders. Thanks to blockchain and the self-sovereign identity paradigm, the model guarantees data integrity and transaction reliability, enabling the generation of more efficient and productive businesses. The model includes a decentralized application for notarization of the information flow in building information modeling processes; the application is implemented and tested on a local blockchain. The proposed model represents a so-called digital twin and is, hence, a huge system that manages all the information flow associated with a building throughout its life cycle, returning to individuals the control of their own data. In this model, all stakeholders operate based on so-called decentralized identifiers and DID documents, which store on-chain the fingerprints of the information flow in a common data environment. Full article

Remote sensing image is a vital basis for land management decisions. The protection of remote sensing images has seen the application of blockchain’s notarization function by many scholars. Yet, research on efficient retrieval of such images on the blockchain remains sparse. Addressing this issue, this paper introduces a blockchain-based spatial index verification method using Hyperledger Fabric. It linearizes the spatial information of remote sensing images via Geohash and integrates it with LSM trees for effective retrieval and verification. The system also incorporates IPFS as an underlying storage unit for Hyperledger Fabric, ensuring the safe storage and transmission of images. The experiments indicate that this method significantly reduces the latency in data retrieval and verification without impacting the write performance of Hyperledger Fabric, enhancing throughput and providing a solid foundation for efficient blockchain-based verification of remote sensing images in land registry systems. Full article

Despite the technological leaps modern accounting systems have brought about, fraud is still prevalent. This necessitates spending time and money on audits. Connecting modern accounting ledgers to a public blockchain would make accounting records easily verifiable, aiding the audit evidence gathering and analytics process. Continuous audits will be made viable by readily available audit evidence from the public blockchain. The proposed audit solution creates verifiable “Financial Fingerprints” (signed indexes) for every accounting entry. These Financial Fingerprints are then published to a certain range of addresses on the public blockchain. The objective is to help accounting ledgers be structured in a Triple Entry Accounting format. The third entry can be defined as publishing a notarized index of each accounting entry to the public blockchain. The crux of Triple Entry Accounting is atomicity, meaning there can only be one book. Trying to present an alternative set of books would still be possible, but it would be automatically detected. The method used to achieve the objective can be presented as two value propositions. The first value proposition of Triple Entry Accounting is to define a provable official true set of books. This is important because it is a door into the market without being dependent on network effects. The second value proposition of Triple Entry Accounting is to break down the data silos by using the blockchain as a shared ledger and thus help auditors immensely in their tedious work to gather sufficient and appropriate audit evidence. Because of value proposition number one, Triple Entry Accounting presents standalone value even before the network effect begins. The result of this is an open standardized protocol for implementing Triple Entry Accounting as an extension to modern accounting systems. Full article

Management of competencies is a crucial concern for both learners and workers as well as for training institutions and companies. For the former, it allows users to track and certify the acquired skills to apply for positions; for the latter, it enables better organisation of business processes. However, currently, most software systems for competency management adopted by the industry are either organisation-centric or centralised: that is, they either lock-in students and employees wishing to export their competencies elsewhere, or they require users’ trust and for users to give up privacy (to store their personal data) while being prone to faults. In this paper, we propose a user-centric, fully decentralised competency management system enabling verifiable, secure, and robust management of competencies digitalised as Open Badges via notarization on a public blockchain. This way, whoever acquires the competence or achievement retains full control over it and can disclose his/her own digital certifications only when needed and to the extent required, migrate them across storage platforms, and let anyone verify the integrity and validity of such certifications independently of any centralised organisation. The proposed solution is based on C-Box^®, an existing application for the management of digital competencies that has been improved to fully support models, standards, and technologies of the so-called Web 3.0 vision—a global effort by major web organisations to “give the web back to the people”, pushing for maximum decentralisation of control and user-centric data ownership. Full article

This work presents a Self Sovereign Identity based system proposal to show how Blockchain, Building Information Modeling, Internet of Thing devices, and Self Sovereign Identity concepts can support the process of building digitalization, guaranteeing the compliance standards and technical regulations. The proposal ensures eligibility, transparency and traceability of all information produced by stakeholders, or generated by IoT devices appropriately placed, during the entire life cycle of a building artifact. By exploiting the concepts of the Self Sovereign Identity, our proposal allows the identification of all involved stakeholders, the storage off-chain of all information, and that on-chain of the sole data necessary for the information notarization and certification, adopting multi-signature approval mechanisms where appropriate. In addition it allows the eligibility verification of the certificated information, providing also useful information for facility management. It is proposed as an innovative system and companies that adopt the Open Innovation paradigm might want to pursue it. The model proposal is designed exploiting the Veramo platform, hence the Ethereum Blockchain, and all the recommendations about Self Sovereign Identity systems given by the European Blockchain Partnership, and by the World Wide Web Consortium. Full article